Search form

Search form

An Italian judge's order that a crucifix be removed from a public school classroom in response to a complaint by a Muslim activist has sparked a dispute over traditions and religious heritage in an increasingly multicultural society. Despite modern laws establishing Italy as a secular state, older laws have permitted the display of crucifixes in schools.

Related Summaries

In Georgia, 81 principals received more than $100,000 last year, while teachers' average salary was $43,933. Top administrators justify their pay by pointing to extra training they must undergo to achieve their positions, years of experience and long days on the job. Despite frustration among teachers over the disparity, veteran teachers in the state sometimes make more than $80,000, leading some to conclude that pay for beginning teachers is too low.

Jerry Griswold, a children's literature teacher at San Diego State University, expresses concern that a new teacher training law will force schools to overload teachers with pedagogy training, in the process sacrificing core "content" classes in core academic subjects. Griswold fears that students of literature teachers who have not read the classics, for example, will end up reading less-challenging books.

Six companies running charter schools serving more than 17,000 students are under minimal oversight even though they manage nearly $124 million in tax money each year. Although students often failed to meet minimal academic standards on the 2003 exams, state education officials say limited resources make financial and management reviews of the companies impossible.

Cash-strapped schools increasingly are turning to private educational foundations and parent groups for funds to cover books and teacher salaries in core areas. Public Education Network spokesman Howie Schaffer worries that some voters believe the state should be responsible only for "educational adequacy" rather than educational excellence for all.

This year, more than 78% of California schools met Academic Performance Index goals, compared with 52% last year. Educators credited the gains to curricular reforms, growing student familiarity with the test format and new instructional strategies, but acknowledged that changes in API scoring methods could have helped as well.